Machine for distributing powdered materials.



No. 764,345. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904.

A J. P. BYERS.

MACHINE FOR DISTRIBUTING POWDBRED MATERIALS.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 12, 190s.

No MODEL. s sHBBTs-sHBET 1.

51401214430@ y gif/m4.

Clozum,

No. 764,345. 4 PATBNTBD JULY 5, 1904.

` J. P. BYBRS.,

MACHINE PoR DISTRIBUTING POWDERED MATERIALS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 12, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

No. 764,345. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904.

J. F. BYERS.

MACHINE FOR DISTRIBUTING PUWDERED MATERIALS.

APPLIATION FILED MAY 12. 1903.

Patented July 5, 1904..

OFFICE. f

JOHN F. BYERS, OFRAVENNA, Ol-llO.

MACHINE Fon DISTRIBUTING PowDEm-:D lvlArl-zemLs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,345, dated J u1y`5, 1904.

' Application filed May l2, 1903. Serial No. 156,767. lNo model.) Y

`To all 'u1/wm it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN F. Bruns, aciti-` zen of the United States of America, and ai resident of Ravenna, in the county of Portage u and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for` Distributing Powdered Material, of which .the following' is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in potato or other plants for the purpose of destroying parasites. `this way is usually composed of a powdered poisonous substance, like paris-green, mixed .IO machines for applying a poisonous dust to' rlhe 'material applied in l 1. 5 with a'much larger quantity of powdered landplaster, lime, or ashes; and the objects of my invention are to produce a machine for applying such a powdered material in the formof a dust to plants growing` in rows.

Further objects of the invention are to provide the machine with means for preventing the dust from being blown away by the wind before it reaches the plants, means for catoliing the surplus material fed to the distributing mechanism, means for varying the areaof the distributing-surface in the distributing' mechanism, and other features and details of` 4construction fully hereinafter described.

I attain these objects by the mechanism which-f Figure l is a rear elevationof the machine with a part of the inclosing cover removed;

Fig. 2, an elevation ofthe right-hand side of illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in,

3 the machine with the main driving-wheel re-" moved; Fig. 3, a partial sectional elevation on the broken line a a of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a par,- tial sectional elevation on broken lines c and (Z of Fig. 3, showing the feeding-cu p in elevation with `a portion of the same broken; away; and Flg. 5, an elevation of the open or` concave side of the feeding-cup.

Like reference-ninnerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

machine is composed of two (right and left) The principal part of the framework of this side plates'l, rigidly connected together by three round.tubularbars 2, two `of which are locatedaiiearthe frontgedgcsand one near the rear edges' off-the plates. The platesl are strengthened by ribs at their edges, and to each is rigidly secured a laterally-projecting` spindle-stud 3, and on these the two supporting-wheels 4. are mounted to turn.

Thills 5 are secured directly to the upper front framebar 2, as-shown, and are connected to the` lower bar 2 by braces 6.

The machine as shown is designed for operating on two rows of plants at the same time and for that reason provided with f duplicate hoppers, feeding mechanisms, conductors, and .distributing mechanisms, except that they are made -right and l left and the two feeding mechanisms and two distributingmcchanisms have their respective operating-shafts in common.

The following dewith the pocket 7, forms a complete hopper for carrying-a supply of powdered material. As shown, the hopper-s 8 are made of wood with their side pieces common to both hoppers and extending across the machine from ,one hopper to the other, and to their narrower portion between the hoppers is secured a board 9,.formin g a seat for the driver.

footboard 10- is secured to the thills.

A rotary horizontal feeding-.shaft 1l extends across the machine, passing through the hopper-pockets 7 and havingI bearings in Abearing projections 12.

There is an opening 13 through thevertical side wall of the pockets 7 or platos 1 near the bottom of the pocket.

Within each hopper-pocket 7, l'mounted on and Vsecured to turn with shaft 11, is a hemil spherically-shaped feeding-cup Maarranged with its open sidel adjacent to the vertical wall of the pocket and just covering the opening 13. The feeding-cup 14 is provided with an outwardly-projectingl lip 15, formed by extending a portion of its wall outwardly by an easy curve and leaving a notch 16 in the cup-wall between the extended and the main portions thereof.

A stud orlinger 17 lOO is made fast in the vertical wall of the pocket and projects laterally therefrom into the interior ofthe cup at a point about midway between its center and outer edge. There may be yas many of these studs as is desired. For closing the opening 13 a fiat plate-cover 18, provided with a bearing-hub, is mounted to oscillate on the bearing projection 12 above the said opening and is held in place thereon against the vertical wall by a retaining-collar 19, secured to the said bearing projection. A connecting-rod 2O is pivotally connected to the upper extremities of the cover-plate 18 and a rocker-arm 21, rigidly mounted on a rock-shaft 22. This rock-shaft extends across the machine with bearings in the frame-plates 1, and to it both covers 18 are connected and may thus be operated by av hand-lever 23, properly mounted on the rock-shaft within easy reach of the driver. For retaining the covers at either extremity of their movement the handlever 23 is made thin enough to be easily sprung sidewise and providedwith a laterally-projecting stud, which by springing and moving the lever may be made to enter either of the two holes 24 in a retainer 25. When the machine is working, the feedingcup has a continuous rotary motion that causes the inclined lip 15 to continually gather the material in the hopper-pocket into the cup and feed it through the opening 13. The stationary finger 17, projecting into the feeding-cup, is for the purpose of preventing the cup from being clogged by the packing ofthe powdered material. From the hopper-pocket the dust material falls into a spout 26, attached to the frame-plate 1, and is conducted into a hollow distributing-cylinder 27, made of perforated sheet metal and supported by one or more spiders 28, mounted to turn with a rotary shaft 29, extending across the machine and having bearings in the frame-plates 1. One end of the distributing-cylinder is open; but the intake end is provided with a sheet-metal head 30, having a central opening large enough to permit the spout 26 to enter at one side of shaft 29 and a flange ordeiiector ring 31, of sheet metal, shaped like the frustum of a cone attached to said head andprojecting and flaring into said cylinder, vas shown in Fig. 4. The head 30 permits the distributer to carry a quantity of powdered material, which as the vdistributer rotates is alternately being carried upward by adhesion and falling forward and downward, and thus works along lengthwise of the distributer and is continually sifting through the perforations and mingling with the air, forming a heavy dust that is thus comparatively evenly distributed on all the plantsurfaces. Some of the material adhering to the cylinder-wall is carried to its highest limit before falling. Without the flange-ring 31 when the discharge end of the cylinder is the higher end the plane in which the intakeopening lies is so thrown out of perpendicular that this falling material would pass through the said opening out of the cylinder; but with the funnel-shaped Hange-ring 31, secured to the cylinder-head, encircling, and thus always overhanging, the intake-opening and aring toward the interior of the cylinder this falling material strikes the upper exterior surface of the flange-ring and is thus intercepted and prevented from escaping from the cylinder, while the material that falls through the plane bounded by the inner edge of the ange-ring strikes the lower inner surface of said ring and is deected away from the intake-opening back into the cylinder. The distributing-surface of the distributers may be limited as desired by bands of sheet metal 32, removably secured thereto, thus preventing the dust material from sifting through the perforations covered. In Fig. 1 a distributer is shown with two bands at each end secured by stove-bolts 33, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 4 no bands are shown on the distributer. The surplus dust material after passing longitudinally through the distributer falls into a removable sheet-metal drawer 34, located at the center of the machine to catch the surplus from both distributers. The drawer 34 rests on supportingledges 35 between guides 36 and is removable through a rectangular opening in a face-plate 37, a part of which forms a retaining-lip 38 for keeping the drawer in place. The faceplate, guides, and ledges are all connected together and secured to two of the frame-bars 2, as shown in Fig. 3. To remove the drawer, on'e end must iirst be raised above the retaining-lip 38 by the knob 39.

To protect the driver from the dust and to prevent the wind from blowing the dust away, a canvas cover 40 is provided, which, together with the frame-plates 1 and two sheet-metal frame-plate extensions 41, forms an envelop open on the under side inclosing the conducting and distributing mechanism, the framebars 2, and a space extending down as near to the plants as is desired. 'Ihe canvas cover is supported by three rods 42, provided for that purpose and secured to the frame-plates 1, has openings for the thill connections, rockerarms, and drawer 34, and is secured to the faceplate 37 by stud-buttons 43 and also to extension 41 by short straps 44 and stud-buttons.

The right-hand supporting-wheel 4 is also the driving-wheel for turning the shafts 29 and 11, and to its hub is secured a drivingpulley 45. On the shaft 29 is mounted a loose clutch-pulley 46, adapted to be driven by a belt 47 from pulley 45, and a tight driving-pulley 48, adapted to drive a pulley 49 tight on shaft 11 by a belt 50. While I have here shown belt-and-pulley transmission mechanism, any other that is suitable may be used, such as chain-and-sprocket and spur gearing'. The part of shaft 29 on which the pulleys are mounted is reduced in size to form IOO IIO

IIS

a shoulder for keeping theclutch-pulley in place. A clutch-sleeve 5l is mounted to slide longitudinally on shaft 29 and connected by keyway and spline to turn the same. rIhe adjacent ends of the clutch-sleeve and pulley hub 46 are provided with clutch -members adapted to interlock, as shown' in Fig. 1, to drive shaft 29. For shifting the clutchsleeve a lever 52, having' a forked 'end adapted to reach to opposite sides of said sleeve, is connected by a fulcrum-bolt 53 to a lug' 54, projecting laterally from plate l. The ends of the prongs of the forked end of the clutch-lever 52 are provided with studs 55, projecting therefrom into an encircling' groove 56 in the periphery of the clutch-sleeve, thus adapting them to shift the sleeve and allow it to turn freely. The clutch-lever extends forward where it may be reached by the driver, is adapted to be sprung upward, and provided with a stud 57 for engaging with a retainer 58, having two holes 59 for holding the clutch-'sleeve either in or out of engagement with the hub 46 and is operated and held in the same way as lever 23.

The machine may of course be adapted to treat more than two rows at once by adding' more f eeding and distributing mechanisms arranged substantially as those shown.

W hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine for distributing powdered materials, a hollow cylinder mounted and connected to rotate on its axis, and a head having a central opening and partially closing one end of the cylinder, in combination with a funnel-shaped flange-ring projecting from the edge of said head bounding said opening' and fiaring, or with its flaring side toward the interior of the cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a machine for distributing' powdered materials, a hopper, a feeding device, a hollow and perforated distributing-cylinder mounted and connected to rotate on its axis, a head for said cylinder having a central opening, and means for transferring the material to be distributed from the hopper to the cylinder, in combination with a funnel-shaped flange-ring projecting from the edge of said head bounding said opening and flaring or with its flaring side toward the interior of the cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a machine for distributing powdered material, two hollow and perforated distributing-cylinders mounted on a rotary shaft, each open at one end and adapted to receive the material, in combination with a pan adapted and arranged to receive the surplus material from both distributers.

4. In a machine for distributing powdered material, two hollow and perforated distributing-cylinders mounted on a rotary shaft, each open at one end and adapted to receive the material, and a pan adapted to receive the surplus material from both distributers, in combination with a hopper, a feeding device and a conductor for each cylinder.

5. In a machine for distributing powdered material, a hopper having a pocket with a vertical wall through which is an outlet-opening, a distributer and a conductor" leading from the hopper-pocket to the distri bi1-ter, in combination with a feeding-cup within the hopper-pocket, having' a lip and a notch, and mounted on and to turn with a horizontal rotary shaft with its open side adjacent to the vertical wall.

6. In a machine for distributing powdered material, a hopper having' a pocket with a vertical wall through which is an outlet-opening', a distributer and a conductor leading from the hopper-pocket to the distributer, in combination with a feeding-cup within the hopper-pocket, having' a lip and a notch, and mounted on and to turn with a horizontal rotary shaft with its open side next to the vertical wall, and a stud projecting from said wall into the interior of the cup.

7. In a machine for distributing powdered material, a hopper-pocket having a vertical wall through which is an outlet-opening, in combination with a feeding-cup within the pocket, having a lip and a notch, and mounted on and to turn with a horizontal shaft, with its open side next to the vertical wall.

8. In a machine for distributing powdered material, a hopper-pocket having' a vertical wall through which is an outlet-opening, in combination with a feeding-cup within the pocket having a lip and a notch and mounted on and to turn with a horizontal rotary shaft with its open side next to the vertical wall, and a stud projecting from said wall into the interior of the cup.

9. In a machine for distributing powdered material, a plurality of hojjiper-pockets, each having a vertical wall through which is an outlet-opening, in combination with a feedingeup within each pocket; all of said cups mounted on and to turn with one horizontal rotary shaft with their open sides next to the vertical walls and each having' a lip and a notch.

l0. In a machine for distributing powdered material, a plurality of hopper-pockets each having a vertical wall through which is an outlet-opening in combination with a feedingcup within each pocket, and a stud projecting from each vertical wall into its respective cup; all of said cups mounted on and to turn with one horizontal rotary shaft with their open sides next to the vertical walls, and `each having a lip and a notch.

Il. In a machine for distributing powdered material, a plurality of hopper-pockets each `havinga vertical wall through which is an outlet-opening, and a feeding-cup within each pocket, the cups all mounted on and to turn with one horizontal rotary shaft and each having a lip and a notch, in combination with a IIO IIS

hollow and perforated distributing-Cylinder for each hopper-pocket, all mounted on and to turn with a horizontal rotary shaft and means for transferring the material from the hopperpockets to the distributing-cylinders.

12. In a machine for distributing powdered material, a hopper having a pocket with a vertical wall through which is an outlet-opening, and a feeding-cup within the pocket mounted on and to turn with a horizontal rotary shaft and having a lip and a notch, in combination with a hollow and perforated distributingcylinder mounted on and to turn with a hori- Zontal rotary shaft, and means for transferring the material from the hopper-pocket to the distributing-cylinder.

13. In a machine for distributing powdered material, a frame mounted on wheels and a distributer supported by the frame and adapted to receive and distribute powdered material, in combination with a flexible cover having an opening and secured to and supported by said frame and partly inclosing the distributer, and a pan adapted to receive the surplus material from the distributer and removable through said opening.

Signed at Ravenna, Ohio, this 22d day of April, 1903.

JOHN F. BYERS. Vitnesses:

H. L. BEATTY, F. W. JONES. 

